Roadway accidents involving hazardous loads have caused damage to property and pose a danger to life and limb. A major problem lies in simply identifying the specific load that has spilled. Many times police officers or other safety personnel arrive at the scene of a motor vehicle accident in which a chemical spill has occurred and are unable to readily ascertain what hazardous material has spilled or what precautions should be taken to prevent damage to the environment and loss of human life. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an identification system for use with vehicles e.g., trucks, railroad cars, etc., carrying hazardous materials, that enables police officers or other safety personnel to readily ascertain before arriving at the scene of an accident, the type of hazardous material that has spilled and what precautions should be taken. Preferably, the system includes a responder system comprised of a pair of communication units. The first communication unit is preferably disposed on the vehicle carrying the hazardous load and responsive to a radio signal for transmitting information about the vehicle and its load.
Another problem that arises in connection with roadway accidents involving spilled hazardous materials is that the spilled cargo often emits noxious or dangerous fumes. Accordingly, it is a further object of the present invention to provide an identification system that notifies the police officers or safety personnel who arrive at the scene of a motor vehicle accident of the type of dangerous chemicals that have spilled, while the officers are at some safe distance from the actual accident scene. It is a further object of the invention that the responder system is adapted to not only provide an identification of the hazardous chemical that has spilled but also provides the police officers or other safety personnel with a set of specific precautions which should be taken when approaching the vehicle that has been involved in the accident.
The above objectives are achieved in accordance with the present invention by providing a small electronic first communication unit on the vehicle transporting the hazardous load. The first communication unit is adapted to transmit the name or code of the hazardous material carried by the vehicle as well as other pertinent information relevant to the safety of the police officers or other safety personnel that arrive at the accident scene. Information relating to the carrier and a contact person is also selectively transmitted from the first communication unit.
The first communication unit located on the vehicle transponder is selectively activated by a second communication unit carried by the police officer or safety personnel. To that end, the first communication unit on the motor vehicle acts as a transponder for receiving an activation signal initiated by safety personnel using the second communication unit and, in response thereto, generates a predetermined response transmitting information from the transponder to the second communication unit. The second communication unit is adapted to receive the information from the transponder and convert the information into a form intelligible to humans such as a display of the information on a screen or in the form of an audible signal using a speaker.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the second communication unit carried by the police officer or safety personnel includes a database that associates names or codes of hazardous materials with information regarding precautionary measures to be taken with each of the hazardous materials listed in the database. In that way, the first communication unit on the motor vehicle need only transmit a code associated with the hazardous material whereupon the second communication unit receiving the code can readily access a lookup table in the database to derive information regarding the manner in which the hazardous material spill is to be addressed. This information is vital to prevent damage to the environment and to save life or limb of the police or safety officer, driver or passenger in the vehicle, or residents in the area local of the accident scene.
In addition, the second communication unit in accordance with another aspect of the invention includes a phone, preferably a cellular telephone, for use by the safety personnel to transmit information and reports of the spill to Hazmat, EPA, DOT, etc. The phone is of course usable to contact individuals based on names retrieved from the database so that technical information regarding the manner in which the spill is to be handled can be easily obtained if necessary by personnel having special qualifications, knowledge or experience.
Many roadway accidents involving hazardous loads can be attributed to driver fatigue. Typically, truck accidents occur because the driver is tired or sleepy due to the number of hours driven. To overcome this problem, federal laws have been imposed that limit the number of hours a driver can work behind the wheel on the highway. In order to establish a record of hours driven, the current federal law requires the driver to maintain and produce when asked, a log book of his time on the road.
Accordingly, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the transponder system is adapted to automatically establish a record of motor vehicle movement activity. An object of this embodiment is to accurately and automatically log the number of hours a vehicle is driven. A further object is to make the process of maintaining or compiling the federally mandated log book, and producing the log book for inspection when required, simpler and easier for the driver. A further object of the invention is for the transponder to completely fill out or construct the log book requirement automatically without driver intervention.
The law that requires drivers to maintain a log book of vehicle activity has not totally eliminated the problems of tired or sleepy drivers on the highway, however. Many drivers ignore the log book requirement in part and therefore do not accurately compile information that accurately reflects driving time. Therefore, inspections of log books that were falsified or sloppily maintained therefore do not always result in ejecting over-driven operators from the highway. Accordingly, it is a further object of the invention to ensure that the logs are accurately prepared and insulated from driver tampering.
Another problem associated with the driving record log books, is the long period of time it usually takes for law enforcement or regulatory officers to inspect the log during routine vehicle stops to ensure that the driver has properly produced the log record and has not driven over the allowed hours. Accordingly, it is a further object of the invention to enable law enforcement officials and regulatory personnel to quickly and easily obtain information regarding the number of hours driven by the driver of a vehicle without the need to stop the vehicle. The above object is enabled by a transponder system in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention that records or otherwise keeps track of the number of hours the motor vehicle has been driven and, further, is adapted to transmit the accumulated drive time log using a radio frequency signal in response to an activation or query signal generated by a second communication unit carried by the law enforcement or regulatory personnel. In effect, the law enforcement and regulatory personnel can electronically xe2x80x9ctapxe2x80x9d the log information collected by the first communication unit or transponder disposed in the motor vehicle without stopping the vehicle.
The above object is enabled by a transponder system in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention that stores or otherwise compiles a record of the actual number of hours the motor vehicle has been driven and, further is adapted to selectively transmit the accumulated drive time log using a radio frequency signal in response to an activation or query signal generated by a second communication unit carried by the law enforcement or regulatory personnel. In effect, using the second preferred embodiment of the invention, the law enforcement and regulatory personnel can electronically xe2x80x9ctapxe2x80x9d the log information collected by the first communication unit or transponder disposed in the motor vehicle without stopping the vehicle.
The present invention includes, in a first embodiment, an accident response radio identification system for use with vehicles carrying hazardous loads for identifying the loads to safety personnel when the vehicle is involved in an accident. The identification system includes first, and second communication units for identifying the loads to the safety personnel. The first communication unit is adapted to be carried by a motor vehicle holding a hazardous load. It includes means for selectively transmitting information describing the hazardous load in response to receiving an activation signal generated by the second communication unit. Further, the second communication unit is adapted to convert the information describing the hazardous load received from the first communication unit into a first form intelligible by human safety personnel.
In another embodiment of the invention, a system is provided for use with a motor vehicle for compiling logistical information relating to an accumulated time the motor vehicle is driven. In its preferred form, the logistics system includes a first electronic unit adapted to be carried by the motor vehicle. Further, the system includes a memory unit in the first electronic unit for storing driving log information. A sensor is operatively connected to the first electronic unit for sensing movement of the motor vehicle and generating a vehicle moving signal when the movement is sensed. Lastly, the preferred logistical system includes a control unit in the first electronic unit for receiving the vehicle moving signal from the center and converting the vehicle moving signal into vehicle operation information and storing the vehicle operation information in the memory unit as the driving log information. Preferably, the logistical system includes a second electronic unit for selectively generating the activation signal and receiving the driving log information from the first electronic unit. In its preferred form, the second electronic unit is adapted to convert the driving log information into a first form intelligible by humans.
Overall, the embodiments of the subject invention essentially include a responder that is adapted for connection onto a motor vehicle. The responder is activated by a radio signal generated from an officers receiver unit and, once activated, is adapted to transfer information to the officers receiver via radio frequency signals. Preferably, the information relates to the load carried by the vehicle or, alternatively, operations i.e. driving log, of the vehicle.
In one embodiment of the invention, the system includes a responder that is programmable by the motor vehicle carrier using a keyboard or the like. In that mode, the carrier essentially programs the responder with the name of the hazardous material or code information relating to the hazardous material that is being transported by truck, rail, or other vehicle. The subject invention is not limited, however, to information regarding the hazardous material but, rather, is also adapted to include programed information in the responder relating to the name of the carrier hauling the hazardous material, their address, phone number, and a contact person at the carrier who is responsible for the load. Preferably, the system uses radio frequency burst technology for data transmission.
The officers receiver portion of the system is preferably hand held. However, the officers receiver is not limited to being hand held but, alternatively, can be integrated directly into or as part of the emergency vehicle equipment. When a vehicle carrying hazardous material is involved in an accident, personnel such as police or safety officers who happen upon an accident carrying the officers receiver activate same to generate an activation signal that is in turn received by the responder. The activation signal, when received by the responder, activates same. In response to receiving the activation signal, the responder is adapted to send the code identifying hazardous material within the vehicle, company name, telephone numbers, and a contact person. The officers receiver preferably includes a database that is accessed based upon the hazardous material identification code sent from the responder. The database includes a set of information relating to the hazardous material that is used to alert safety or police officers of the danger of the hazardous material, any precautions that should be taken based upon the type of material, and how the hazardous material is to be properly disposed of. Further, the database is adapted to further include a list of public agencies and personnel who are to be contacted to help with the removal of the hazardous material. In an alternative form, the officers receiver is adapted to automatically notify, via satellite, cellular phone, or the like, Hazmat teams, EPA, DOT, etc.
In another embodiment of the subject invention, the responder is adapted for connection to the motor vehicle engine, drive train, or wheels in order to sense when the motor vehicle is moving. Preferably, a sensor is used to track the time, speed, and duration during which the vehicle is moving. The responder includes a control unit that is adapted for connection to the sensor for converting the sensor information into driving record log information that is in turn used to compile a driving record log. In one form, the system enables law enforcement agencies and regulatory personnel to electronically xe2x80x9ctapxe2x80x9d into this information from a distance using radio frequency signals to determine whether the driver has been driving over the maximum permitted limit. Preferably, the responder includes a memory unit and timer that are adapted to interface with the control unit in order to calculate and then compile a record of the time in which the vehicle is actually moving. The driving record log is stored in a memory so that law enforcement personnel or regulatory authorities equipped with the officers receiver could access this information in a manner similar to that described above in connection with access to the hazardous material information.
Essentially, the law enforcement or regulatory officers receiver is adapted to send out an activation signal to the responder unit on the vehicle. The responder unit is adapted to interpret the activation signal and send back to the officers receiver the information contained in the memory regarding the number of hours the vehicle has been moving. In the preferred embodiment, the information is transmitted using radio frequency burst technology transmission.
The information stored in the memory is also used, in another embodiment, directly by the driver in order to generate a driving log more easily. Preferably, the system automatically completes the driving log.
In another form, the responder in the vehicle is equipped with a global positioning system that is adapted to retrieve information from global positioning satellites in order to track the vehicle""s location relative to the fixed satellites and the earth. Accordingly, when the vehicle is moving, the responder retrieves the global positioning satellite information, calculates its position, and then stores the position in memory together with clock information. In one form, the responder calculates position and speed over a predetermined period such as, for example, every fifteen minutes. Thus, an accurate log is maintained with few minor inputs from the truck driver. As noted above, law enforcement and regulatory personnel have access to the electronic driving record and electronically xe2x80x9ctapxe2x80x9d into the data by sending the activation signal to the responder and then reading the driver record log sent back to the officers transmitter. Therefore, the law enforcement personnel can ensure that the truck driver has not driven over his specific number of hours required by law.
Still other advantages and benefits of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the following detailed description.